Almost 250 women under 50 years of age are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia each year and will receive treatment that can result in early menopause and loss of fertility.

Today, National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC) is launching a new online resource to help these young women cope with the physical and emotional impact of treatment-induced early menopause.

"Treatment for ovarian cancer will almost inevitably lead to menopause and it is often a hard reality for women to come to terms with," said Professor Martha Hickey from University of Western Australia, Chair of the multidisciplinary working group that oversaw the development of the NBOCC resource.

"It is incredibly important that these women have the information they need about what to expect and where to go for help if they require it," said Professor Hickey.

The online resource Ovarian cancer and early menopause - A guide for younger women, provides information about premature menopause and its symptoms, the emotional impact of menopause in younger women and offers some practical suggestions for managing symptoms.

"This resource is the first in Australia to deal with ovarian cancer and menopause in younger women and fills an important gap in available resources for these women," said Dr Helen Zorbas, CEO of National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre.

The symptoms of menopause and their severity vary considerably and include hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.

"As well as dealing with the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, these symptoms can have a major impact on a woman's psychological and physical wellbeing," said Dr Zorbas.

Ovarian cancer and early menopause - A guide for younger women is available to view online at nbocc.au/ocm.

National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre is funded by the Australian Government and works with consumers, health professionals, cancer organisations, researchers and governments to improve care and cancer control in breast and ovarian cancer.

National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre